Washington Grove is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The population was 505 at the 2020 census. Tribal boundaries were fluid.

<!--The following detailed information is about indigenous cultures in the larger region and is out of scope for this article. Consider moving it to Native American tribes in Maryland:

12,000 years ago, an era colder than today’s climate, Paleo-Indian people moved together over the evergreen-covered landscape in small groups, adapting to changing seasons as they hunted bison, giant beavers, and mammoth using poles tipped with fluted points made from worked stone. Points have been found in the area where Seneca Creek flows into the Potomac River.

About 9,000 years ago, the climate warmed and plants and animals similar to today’s species spread along the Potomac. Signs of human occupation can be found along the Potomac River near Dickerson and other areas.

By 1300, indigenous people began to establish large settlements along the Potomac River, its islands, and uplands. They named the area Cohongoroota, "The Land Above the Falls". The Piscataway people built longhouses high and long, with barrel-shaped roofs covered with bark or woven mats. Villages were surrounded by palisades for protection, and outside were fields of maize, beans, squash, and leaf vegetables such as Chenopodium (goosefoot) and Amaranthus. The bow and arrow were commonly used in hunting and warfare. A rock shelter in Gaithersburg near Seneca Creek (the Hargatt-King Rockshelter) contained a blue bead, suggesting contact with Europeans.

In the late 1600s, on Conoy Island near Point of Rocks, 150 Piscataway-Conoy people retreating from colonists' discrimination built houses in a palisaded village, speaking an Algonquian language now extinct. By 1700, most indigenous tribes had suffered rapid population decline due to infectious diseases and wars, and had been forced out by English colonists. By 1722 the tribe had lost two-thirds of their population.

As of December 2017, three tribes are recognized by the State of Maryland, namely the Piscataway Indian Nation, the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, and the Accohannock Indian Tribe.  None of the three tribes are federally recognized.

As of the 2020 census, 40,000 Maryland residents self-identify as Native American.

...end off-topic section that belongs in Native American tribes in Maryland. -->

Colonization by Europeans

A group of Methodists began the tradition of having camp meetings in the area circa 1800. Camp meetings were a tradition where a group of Methodists would gather in a forest clearing to worship and socialize. Benches were arranged in a circle or oval with an elevated preachers' stand in the middle. The land was given to the Washington Grove Meeting Association, which had been recently incorporated on March 30, 1874.

A person could build a cottage on the land by purchasing five shares of stock for twenty dollars per share. The first share had to be purchased with cash, while the other four could be financed at an annual interest rate of six percent. Named Washington Grove Camp, the first camp meeting began on August 5, 1874, with 240 tents.

In 1877, a tabernacle with a belfry for a bell was built in the center of the circle. The camp-meeting managers used this power to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages anywhere on the grounds. While entertaining programs were allowed, card playing, theater going, and dancing were all banned. The Barrett Brothers, who operated the camp store, asked for an exception to sell ice cream and sandwiches on Sundays, but their request was denied. The cottages peaked roofs resembled that of the original tents, and the architectural style was Carpenter Gothic, which was fashionable at the time.

In 1879, the trustees voted to borrow $4,000 in order to build a hotel on the western area of the grounds. Completed in 1881, the hotel was three stories in the center and two stories in the wings. It had 23 sleeping rooms, a parlor, a dining room, and a kitchen. The cost to build the hotel came in under the $4,000 budget.

In 1880, the Washington Grove Camp Meeting Association decided that a hotel was needed. This is exemplified in one of many deeds, such as one dating from 1925 that reads,

<blockquote>That whereas the death rate of persons of African descent is much greater than the death rate of persons of the white race and affects injuriously the health of the town and village communities, and as the permanent location of persons of African descent in such places as owners or tenants constitutes and irreparable injury to the value and usefulness of real estate in the interest of public health and to prevent irreparable injury to the grantor or its successors and assigns, and the owners of adjacent real estate, the grantees, their heirs and assigns, hereby covenant, and agree with the grantor, its successors and assigns, that they will not sell, conveyor rent the premises hereby conveyed, the whole or any part thereof, or any structure thereon, to any person of African descent.</blockquote>

A Black Methodist camp was founded in 1864 as Emory Grove, that predated Washington Grove. Maryland Governor Harry Nice signed the town's charter into law on May 18, 1937. Irving L. McCathran was elected the town's first mayor. He served as mayor for twenty years.

Geography

Washington Grove is located in central Montgomery County at (39.139535, -77.175926). It is bordered to the west by the town of Gaithersburg, and to the northeast and southeast by unincorporated Redland. Rockville, the Montgomery county seat, is to the south, and downtown Washington, D.C., is to the south-southeast.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Washington Grove has a total area of , of which , or 0.59%, are water.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 555 people, 230 households, and 157 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 242 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 85.2% White, 4.0% African American, 7.4% Asian, 2.5% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population.

There were 230 households, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.7% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.87.

The median age in the town was 49.7 years. 20.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 15% were from 25 to 44; 46.3% were from 45 to 64; and 13.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 515 people, 208 households, and 143 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 209 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.76% White, 0.39% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 2.72% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.08% of the population.

There were 208 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.91. There is an average of 1.8 cats per family in Washington Grove.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 37.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $92,398, and the median income for a family was $97,029. Males had a median income of $70,750 versus $48,125 for females. The per capita income for the town was $38,332. None of the families and 0.8% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no one under eighteen and no one over 64.

Government

Washington Grove is governed by a town council consisting of six elected councilors and a mayor. Elections are held yearly in May, with two councilor positions rotating for election each year. Two council meetings are held each month. Town residents are encouraged to attend, and in one of the two monthly meetings a period of time is set aside for "Public Appearances" in which issues are aired and discussed by town residents urging some action by the council. There is a town meeting yearly in which town residents examine and approve (or ask for changes to) the coming fiscal year's budget. When issues of significant importance are pending, a special town meeting is often called to allow for an exchange of ideas.

Most of the work in keeping the town running, however, is performed by volunteers in committees including the Woods Group, the Recreation Committee, the Lake Committee, the Historic Preservation Committee, and many others. Volunteerism is high, allowing an extraordinarily broad range of activities and events.

Each councilor is liaison to (typically) two town committees, with responsibilities to attend meetings of those committees and report back on their activities. Individual councilors are also responsible for administration of contracts for road maintenance, trash and recycling pickup, tree maintenance, and other ongoing upkeep efforts.

Education

The town is zoned to schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools district.

thumb|right|View northeast along Washington Grove Lane as it enters Washington Grove

Zoned schools include:

  • Washington Grove Elementary School
  • Forest Oak Middle School
  • Gaithersburg High School

Transportation

No state highways traverse the town, with the primary road through town being county-maintained Washington Grove Lane. However, major highways are located in the vicinity, including Interstate 370, Interstate 270, and Maryland Route 200.

The Washington Grove station on MARC's Brunswick Line provides commuter service into Washington D.C.

References

  • , including photo in 1974, at Maryland Historical Trust
  • Boundary Map of the Washington Grove Historic District, Montgomery County, at Maryland Historical Trust